I have had a lot of mixed advice from friends about how much I need to plan my trip (ie book accommodations). I will be traveling during the first 3 and a half weeks of Dec and realize this is high season. The only thing I've got booked so far is bkk lodgings, should i worry?

We figured a week in bkk, 5 days or a week in chiang mai/chiag rai region (please recommend great cooking classes) and if we have enough time we'll divide the last week or more between islands and krabi.

we are prepared for anything including backpacking trails and day hikes as long as it is something ONE MUST NOT MISS WHILE IN THAILAND! we've been talking to everyone we know (and dont know) who has been and has advice but i want more more more! by all means, tell me secrets about what to do and where to stay!

I would quickly plan out your itinerary and book lodging to match. This avoids being blocked out of your choices. I would suggest only 5 days up North, unless you are going trekking for several days or going to Mae Hong Son. Actually, I would suggest that you goup north for only 3 days, either Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai (but not both)and use those days to pop over to Angkor Wat. If you elect to do that, you should look at the Bangkok Air Discover Pass. BA is the only carrier from BKK to Siem Riep. You'll save some money. If you give a price range for hotels, people will jump in with their recommendations.

Book quickly. I think a week in Bangkok ( split between the beginning and end of the trip) and a week in northern thailand is a perfect trip. It gives you the chance to get off the beaten path.

Thanks for your responses. You two are right on top of this forum! It's great.

You gave conflicting advice about how much time to spend in the north, but I have found a really great place called Sarah Guest House in Chiang Mai and through them there's a package deal where we can take cooking classes at the Cookery and hike around for 2 or 3 days.
That is the only guesthouse I found online that was so well priced and EXACTLY the type of place I'm inclined to stay. Not hotels with pools that might as well be in the US. Any guesthouse recommendations?

also, transportation: trains? the thai domestic railway site won't let me go from chiang mai to krabi/ko phi phi...what's with that?

Yes, book accommodation as soon as you can, as others have said you might still be able to find accommodation but it probably won't be what you want, if you find something that appeals book right away.

Trains: There is no rail line for Krabi or Phi Phi ( Phi Phi is and island anyway ), the only line south goes along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand into Malaysia.
To get to krabi you either fly ( Thai Airways ) or overnight bus ( yuk ! ), for Phi Phi best to fly to Phuket and then take the boat across, Phuket has most flights and choice of 5 airlines including budget carriers ( Thai Air Asia, Nok Air and One-2-Go ), full service airlines are Thai and Bangkok Airways.

www.airasia.com
www.nokair.co.th
www.bangkokair.com
www.thaiairways.com


Booking down Krabi/Phuket way will be already very heavy from Mid december onwards.

maybe i should plan on going from bkk down to krabi first since that will be earlier in december, and it sounds like as we get further into dec, the beach areas will be more crowded..
or will it even make much of a difference if we are there before or after the 15th?

Certainly earlier in December quieter at the beaches, lots of people head in from around the 18th to spend 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year. Note only Thai at the moment flying into Krabi, 4 flights a day I think. Ao nang is the busy resort area but for nice beach you need to get around Railey but boat access only, note that!

Here are some October Krabi reviews up to date:

http://www.res24.com/review/posts.ht...r=nongasia.com

For tips on places we need to know your budget and what type of place you are looking for, whether kids part of the group, do you want to be close to restaurants/nightlife etc etc.

jeff and i are mid twenties, definitely no kids! we'd like variety during our trip, so nightlife is great in the cities i would assume and quieter beautiful places by beaches..? we'd like to find cheap funky guest houses, as opposed to fancy hotels. we're willing to rough it some nights and perhaps have a couple of nicer hotel nights too.

we saw amazing photos of a tree guesthouse...ring any bells? it seems the small mom & pop places i'm looking for wouldn't have websites...so it makes sense to book SOMEthing because i dont want to risk having no place to stay.

Hi alana-if you are looking for cheap tree houses then Ya-Ya's at Railay East might be suitable. As James said, water access only. Do a google search for it. We were in Sthn Thailand last year from Dec 1 for 2 weeks and all the best places were pretty full. You'll find something if you arrive before 3 pm at most places but it may not be exactly what you want. If there is somewhere you really love, then book it now. Ask away if you need any more info. All the best.

A lot of rates more than double for Nov thru to April. Railey Village resort is bookable, though what goes from $12 low season for a fan cooled you are looking at USD 44 for high season a/con: some in fact go up more than 4 times.

http://www.r24.org/nongasia.com/krab...lage/pictures/

Dimaond Cave another, but again about USD 45 for what in low season is 14 !

http://www.r24.org/nongasia.com/krab...cave/pictures/

Railey Resort about $ 48
http://www.r24.org/patong-beach-hote...ybay/pictures/


Even a lot of very budget places the rates shoot up, you need to think around 40-50 for anything a/c and trust me, you will deffinately need a/c at that time.

If you want nightlife Phuket has bars, discos, nightclubs etc, although Patong ( center for nightlife etc ) is a busy crowded place there are quite a lot of guesthouses / B&B but expect quite a walk to the beach area ( busy ), in Patong a lot of these are in what is known as Soi Nanai, there are lots of local shops, some have rooms above, very crowded area, you need tuk tuk or quite a long walk to the beach, Juntana is about $32

http://www.r24.org/patong-beach-hote...tana/pictures/

About the best deal in Patong on Phuket at that time is the high rise Montana at about $ 24 twin without breakfast

http://www.r24.org/patong-beach-hote...tana/pictures/


I just did some ideas for Nov and Feb for Phuket and will add that post link in a moment, although prices higher December you will get ideas.

Here's that post re Phuket:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

For guesthouses, check this link:
http://www.travelfish.org/country/thailand

THis is so great! Thank you all for your recommendations. I'm sure I'll have more questions once I get thru all your recs. It's so hard to decide where to go because everything sounds/looks so cool. I'll figure it out. Thanks again. I really appreciate your help.
~alana

If u have time to spend on the beach for a few day must be cool. I suggest to go to Koh samet .. It is not far from Bangkok and u can get there easy by bus from Ekkamai(around 3hr) to get to the pier and 45 min by normal boat to get to the island. Dont miss Vong duean beach. It is middle beach of the island. U can walk to another beach easy.. it is a nice walking actually. If u have a chance ..plz dont miss a night life at bay Watch Bar @ Vong Duean beach.. check thier website out www.baywatchbar.tk It is a coolest bar on Vong Duean beach and there is my favorite bar over there..It is better to reserve the room first cuz high season.. make sure u have a room for stay and engoy the beach.. any help i can do.. plz feel free to email me.. [email protected] Cheers!

recommendations for day trips from chiang mai and/or chiang rai? other northern destinations? medium level trekking (nothing too hardcore)?

also, any experience with sarah guesthouse in chiang mai? lots of mixed reviews out there.

There are numerous tours, trips and treks but remember Chiang mai is a large city but once you get outside lots to do, just search through the postings on this forum under Chiang Mai and you will find lots. Sorry never heard of Sarah's in CM. If you are going to chiang mai for the 'natural style' of life then perhaps Maggy's Place might be interesting, a good 30 minutes from town but wild and natural, if that is what you are after, owner managed, has a good local reputation here for budget travelers, but you are 'out of town'. if you want somewhere 'in town' and this goes back years and years for me you really can't beat SK House, about USD 15 double but that is fan cooled but has a swimming pool, close to Night Bazaar etc, if you can stretch to USD 25 you get air-con, tv etc. Paddy Field Hotel is about USD 17, air con tv etc